How long do you give an album a chance?

[wildwildWes]

Wondering how others go about listening to an album you've never heard before: Do you always listen to it all the way through at least once? Do you listen to the first three tracks and then only continue if you've connected by then?

I don't have an algorithm for this yet but I think maybe I should!

 

[Lawrence001]

If I'd bought it new I'd give it a play all the way through, if I really didn't like it I'd do something else and have it as background music.

If I'm just streaming or it was from a charity shop, first 2-3 tracks (skipping if not liked), unless it's a famous album people rave about and I want to understand the love, or by a band I have a soft spot for (eg Iron Maiden and Cure albums will be played through regardless).

 

[toms wait]

I generally play it all about 3 times over a period of 2-3 weeks.
If I like it then I play it until I know it enough to like it or ditch it if its not worming its way onto my regular playlist.
There are many albums I have of bands I like but still don't know an album of even though I've had it for years. Being completist about it there are many things I like but don't know enough to say which tracks I love. Cocteau twins, Flaming Lips, for example I have most of their albums but couldn't tell you where my favourite tracks are.
Picking something out of an lp/cd collection of about 1700 albums with over 350 bands/artist is more challenging.

 

[StingRay]

With streaming there are so many, I don't have time to listen to music I don't like. Some get stopped after a few seconds, some last a track or 2, some last all the whole through but may not get played again for a long time if ever.

 

[Rayymondo]

Either all the way through a few times in the car - if it's an actual disc and not a download.
More often it's a download, and then I play it on random with a few other new or old albums so you hear the new tracks in a different order and mixed in with some more familiar tracks.
May seem odd to some but it works for me, I rarely play any album all the way through (unless in the car)

 

[I.D.S.]

I’m finding i might buy a reissue of an album,then whilst listening realise I didn’t care for it first time round

 

[tkimages]

Not very long these days, I find my attention span is very short for something that doesn't gel with me, and at my age, time is too precious to waste.

 

[JANDL100]

With streaming there's so much enjoyable music to discover I don't waste much time on material that seems mediocre.

It can be as little as a few seconds, a wince, and I move on.

 

[MVJ]

If I bought something in the past I had a rule of listening to it at least 3 times before making my mind up if it was a keeper.

With the advent of streaming which I have finally embraced as a medium but mainly as a scource for discovery. My rule has changed to selecting a few random tracks and playing a couple of minutes of each if they get my attention then it gets played in full a couple of times.

My music collection has grown slower these days I only buy what I really like & spotify library the rest now.

Works for me

 

[Baggawire]

The vast majority of my music is purchased on vinyl so given its expense an LPs got to be strong all the way through for me to buy it. But in general terms, if a piece of music doesn't grab me on immediate listen then I'll pass on it.

 

[Jules_S]

I'm a bit more tolerant of albums that don't immediately hit me between the eyes. Some of those slow-burners become favourites when given the chance to worm their way into my conscience over some weeks, or even months, and occasionally others that appealed on first listen tend to fade with time when the novelty of playing them on repeat wears off. If I'm not sure, I'll put it to one side and re-visit when I'm perhaps in a different frame of mind.

I once bought a cassette (yes, really, this was the early 90's), purely on a whim because the cover intrigued me. Played it once and thought "what on earth is this c**p?". Put it away and forgot all about it until a couple of years later when I heard a track played on MTV, back when that actually stood for "MUSIC television". Oh my goodness, this is amazing, I thought. Who is it? And there it was, the very album I'd dismissed as garbage. Dug it out and listened, now possibly my favourite album by that artist. So you just never know what's going to stick with you over time.

I struggled with some of the Depeche Mode albums around the Exciter / Sounds of the Universe era, took me quite some time to discover their worth. Still haven't knocked Violator off the top pedestal mind you.

 

[Brown Bottle]

I generally give new albums 3 tracks if I'm streaming. I don't buy vinyl unless I've checked it out by streaming it first, apart from 3 or 4 artists, for completism.

Cheers BB

 

[garn63]

Wondering how others go about listening to an album you've never heard before: Do you always listen to it all the way through at least once? Do you listen to the first three tracks and then only continue if you've connected by then?

I don't have an algorithm for this yet but I think maybe I should!

If any music interests me even slightly I tend to give it longer than most.
It's natural for us to seek instant gratification but this is just a quick fix imo.
Often if I am intrigued by an artist/genre & I will load up alot of it, and listen/stream all day. Sometimes on the second time around tracks might pique my interest. I then save them & put on a "new" playlist. This will grow over time. It is true that we only get out, what we put in.
If we maybe put as much of our time into musical discovery as fretting over hifi, we might be alot more content. Going deeper into our understanding of music is not only be rewarding, but can open up new worlds. Brilliant.
I love listening to music that is unique & sits in it's own space. That imo is the greatest gift.
Happy hunting. Keep an open mind for the best results.

 

[EddieRUKidding]

Two tracks tops for me - then move on

 

[glenhb]

That's the beauty of streaming.
Listen to it online a few times, if you like it buy it. No money wasted.

 

[Rayymondo]

I think it's easy to know if you definitely DONT like something, maybe it's shouty or heavy or a genre you just don't care for, but I think it can take many listens sometimes for a new tune to sink in and strike a chord with you. I find sometimes a recent purchase sounds a bit bland or just a bit "wrong" but after a few listens something clicks into place and you get a moment of recognition.
Think back to artists you liked that had a new single out on the radio and you just didn't get it at first, the tune didn't register with you, then one day it comes on the radio and you suddenly go Oh, I think I like this one. Also find this happens at gigs. I try and buy the latest release of a band or artist that I am about to see live which means you don't always get much of chance to become that familiar with the new material, but then at the gig a song starts and again you go Ooh I like this one, then remember you hadn't particularly liked it the day before. Next time you play the new album the songs make more sense to you... they chime with you, it can take several listens for it all to fall into place. That's my experience anyway

 

[DUVET]

I've actually not listened to albums in years only to revisit and then get them . Talk Talk's last two albums spring to mind . John Coltrane a Love Supreme also took ages to catch fire . I class albums in three different ways. Number one I just like it . Number two is interesting which means this could be revisited . Number three I don't like it and never will.

 

[TIU]

There isn't an album I don't like because my system is so brilliant I'm interacting with the musicians in my room.

 

[Tazzo]

I will play it regularly to see if it "grows" on me. I usually can tell within the first few weeks, but there are exceptions.

 

[Twoscoops]

I've actually not listened to albums in years only to revisit and then get them . Talk Talk's last two albums spring to mind . John Coltrane a Love Supreme also took ages to catch fire . I class albums in three different ways. Number one I just like it . Number two is interesting which means this could be revisited . Number three I don't like it and never will.

Going through this thread from the start and Talk Talk immediately came to mind. At the time I dismissed them as another pop-synth band & ignored later output. Took me 20 years to re-discover them.